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Towards a Revolution in Tuberculosis (TB)
Prevention, Care and Treatment

Statement of Individuals from Communities Affected by Tuberculosis (TB)
36th World Congress on Lung Health
23 October 2005
Paris, France

 

We are individuals from communities affected by the worldwide pandemic of tuberculosis (TB). We have seen the unnecessary suffering and death that TB causes, amplified by the overlapping HIV/AIDS pandemic. Up to two billion people worldwide are infected with the bacteria which causes TB. Each year, eight million people develop TB disease and two million die from it. Yet TB is preventable, treatable, and curable. The suffering and death it causes are unnecessary and unacceptable.

No one should die of a curable disease because of poverty or underfunded health systems. Human rights, public health, and social justice approaches all demand a better global response to stopping TB.

Universal access to existing TB diagnosis and treatment, and massively accelerated research to develop new and better tools are both urgently needed.

We can reduce the suffering caused by TB to 80 million people over the next ten years, prevent 20 million unnecessary deaths, and accelerate the day when tuberculosis – one of humanity's most ancient diseases – is finally stopped.

What has been lacking is the political will, the scientific determination, and the popular support.

We call upon leaders, governments, and all sectors of society to take the following steps:

  1. Recognize the importance of community participation in TB control efforts.
    People living with TB must be at the center of all TB awareness, prevention, care and treatment programs. Their rights and dignity must be respected. People living with TB have the right to participate fully in all organizations concerned with their care, at all levels including governance, planning, implementation, and evaluation of TB research, prevention, care, treatment, and advocacy programs.

  2. Increase investment to support community participation.
    Community activism is essential to ensure the growth and sustainability of TB control programs. Massively increased resources are needed to support community mobilization, awareness, education, literacy, and participation in TB control programs worldwide by people living with or most vulnerable to TB.

  3. Ensure expanded access to TB treatment.
    All people with active TB – not just those with sputum smear positive pulmonary TB – must be promptly and properly diagnosed, treated, and cured. This includes those with smear negative pulmonary TB, extrapulmonary TB, pediatric TB, HIV-related TB and multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB.

  4. Provide TB services to vulnerable populations.
    All affected communities must have full access to TB prevention, care and treatment, including women, children, homeless people, the unemployed, the uninsured, the incarcerated, populations regardless of immigration status, drug users, people living with HIV, and those with other life-threatening diseases.

  5. Incorporate TB program expansion into stronger health systems.
    TB control programs should be expanded in the context of strengthening health systems.

  6. Provide universal access to high-quality TB services.
    TB preventive measures, diagnosis, treatment, and cure must be made universally accessible, available, and free at the point of use to persons being screened or treated for TB, including those with multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB or with TB/HIV.

  7. Expand use of existing TB prevention methods.
    More emphasis is needed on use of existing tools to reduce TB transmission and treat latent infection, including administrative measures to reduce transmission in confined settings and isoniazid preventive therapy in people at high risk of progression to active TB, including those with TB/HIV.

  8. Scale up research on new tools to stop TB.
    Massively accelerated and greatly increased research funding is needed for new tools to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure TB. Funding for this research should come from all countries from both public and private sectors. Community activism is needed to secure full funding of and community involvement in all stages of this research.

  9. Disseminate existing TB diagnostics and develop new ones.
    New diagnostic tests to accurately diagnose TB – pulmonary and extrapulmonary, drug-sensitive and drug-resistant, adult and pediatric, and HIV-negative and HIV-positive – are urgently needed. These tests must be usable where the vast majority of people with TB get their care, in district hospitals, private providers, and health centers. Optimally, these point-of care assays must be rapid, require little technical training, not require electricity or refrigeration, able to withstand high heat and humidity, and be affordable for all public health systems. Currently available diagnostics such as culture and drug susceptibility testing (DST) must be made much more broadly available in resource-poor settings to increase the ability to diagnose smear-negative, extrapulmonary, pediatric, and drug-resistant TB.

  10. Develop shorter TB cures.
    New drugs and combination treatment regimens for TB are urgently needed which will fully cure over 95% of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cases of TB within two months. These drugs must be affordable, available, safe, and effective especially for persons infected with MDR-TB or TB/HIV.

  11. Discover new TB vaccines.
    New vaccines for TB are needed which will prevent TB infection or disease in over 75% of those vaccinated without side effects, ideally in a single dose given once a lifetime.

  12. Stopping TB is a job for everyone.
    Governments around the world must commit the full resources, leadership, and long-term effort necessary to make TB a disease of the past. We call for strong, vocal, and persistent commitment by political leaders and systems worldwide, and by all sectors of society and community, to provide the resources needed to make TB a disease of the past.

For the past ten years, governments around the world have stated their commitment to stop TB. Now is the time to intensify this commitment by turning declarations into deeds, promises into programs.

Community activism and advocacy are essential to ensure the growth and sustainability of TB programs. We commit to redouble our efforts to mobilize communities to respond to the TB epidemic by increasing our efforts in education, information dissemination, advocacy, support, and participation. We call for the same commitment from all with the power to help make the future one free of TB.


signatories to Paris Manifesto

Olav Aalberg, Norwegian Association of Heart and Lung Patients (LHL), Oslo, Norway
Dario Abarca, Huellas+, Quito, Ecuador
Zackie Achmat, Treatment Action Campaign, Muizenberg, South Africa
Olayide Omolare Akanni, Journalists Against AIDS Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
Fofou Antoine, United Brothers and Sisters Association, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Lic. Julio Cesar Aguilera Hurtado, Fundación REDVIHDA+, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Yrene Ubaldo Aquiño Capcha, Peruanos Positivos, Trascendiendo Aid For AIDS de Peru, Lima, Peru
AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Hedvig Amdal, Norwegian Association of Heart and Lung Patients (LHL), Oslo, Norway
Mirta Rosa Ameal, Fundacion Mar de Vida, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Pablo Anamaria, la Coordinadora Peruana de PVVS Peruanos Positivos, Lima, Peru
Jaime Argueta, El Salvador/Guatemala, Agua Buena Human Rights Association, San Salvador, El Salvador
Siddhi Aryal, Oxygen Research & Development Forum, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal
Asociación Redes Nueva Frontera, Mendoza, Argentina
Mara Kumbweza Banda, Pradiso House Home Based Care, Lilongwe, Malawi
Susana Barbato, Asociación Civil ANTARES, Bariloche, Argentina
Wendi Losha Bernadette, Actwid Kongadzem PLWHA NGO, Bamenda, Cameroon
Gunnar Bjune, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Sonja Borja, Solas Yunidas A.S.U., Lima, Peru
Richard Burzynski, The International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO), Toronto, Canada
Estela Carrizo, Grupo de apoyo RedLa+, Argentina
Nelli Cholakhyan, Armenian National AIDS Foundation, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Yuliya Chona, Poryatunok "Salvation", Kremenchuk, Ukraine
Polly Clayden, HIV i-Base, United Kingdom
Julio César Cruz, Red de Voluntarios Juejños Enfrentando al VIH/SIDA, San Salvador de Jujay, Argentina
Dr. Gene Copello, The AIDS Institute, Washington, D.C., USA
CRIAA SA-DC, Windhoek, Namibia
Lynda M. Dee, AIDS Action Baltimore, Baltimore, USA
Ninel Diaz, AVE de México, México City, México
Anne Marie DiCenso, Prisoners with HIV/AIDS Support Action Network (PASAN), Toronto, Canada
Julie Dingwell, AIDS Saint John, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Ouohi Diomande, NGO Renaissance Santé, Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire
Vitaly Djuma, Russian Harm Reduction Network, Moscow, Russia
Beverley Figaji, Walvis Bay Multi-Purpose Centre, Walvis Bay, Namibia
Alain Foguito Fogue, Positive-Generation, Yaounde, Cameroon
Joshua T. Formentera, Positive Action Foundation Philippines, Manila, Philippines
Tim France, Health & Development Networks, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Alex Freyre, Fundación Buenos Aires Sida, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Thomas Gegeny, The Center for AIDS Information & Advocacy, Houston, Texas, USA
Njua Geraldine, Intimate Friends International PLWHA, Bamenda, Cameroon
María Eugenia Gilligan, Red Argentina de PVVS (REDAR+), Red Argentina de Mujeres Viviendo con vih-sida (RAMVS), Argentina
Case Gordon, TBTV.ORG, Viols/Laval, France
Dr. Kadidiatou Gouro, Mieux Vivre avec le Sida (MVS), Níger
Chris W. Green, Yaysan Spiritia Foundation, Jakarta, Indonesia
Lena Grigoryeva, NGO Positive Movement, Belarus
Rachel Guglielmo, Public Health Watch, Open Society Institute, New York, USA
Tamara Gvaramadze, Georgian Plus Group, Tbilisi, Georgia
Mark Harrington, Treatment Action Group, New York, USA
Torunn Hasler, Norwegian Association of Heart and Lung Patients (LHL), Oslo, Norway
HEAL Project, Lusaka, Zambia
Herty Herjati, Project Concern International (PCI), Jakarta, Selatan, Indonesia
Aruna J. Hewapathirane, APN+, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Sandra Hildago, Red Argentina de Mujeres vv, Argentina
Maryrose B. Ikumi, Associação dos Técnicos Agro-Pecuários, Maputo, Mozambique
Silvia Inchaurraga, Asociación de Reduccion de Daños de la Argentina (ARDA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
Intercambios Asociación Civil, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Zannou Jacob, NGO HES, Cotonou, Benin
Eleonora Jimenez, Public Health Watch, Open Society Institute, New York, USA
Dr. Devavrat Joshi, Blue Diamond Society, Baluwataar, Kathmandu, Nepal
James Kamau, Kenya Treatment Access Movement [KETAM], Kenya
Bertrand Kampoer, FISS MST/SIDA, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Deogratius Kiduduye, Association of Journalists Against AIDS in Tanzania⁄TADIJO, Mbeya, Tanzania
Rev. Teboho G. Klaas, South African Council of Churches, Johannesburg, South Africa
Mette Klouman, Norwegian Association of Heart and Lung Patients (LHL), Oslo, Norway
Kristen Lepore, AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition, New York, USA
Sefnet DJ Lobwaer, Ketua Ikatan Konselor HIV/AIDS, Merauke, Papua, Indonesia
Sharonann Lynch, Health GAP (Global Access Project), New York, New York, USA
Masmus Malborg, Norwegian Association of Heart and Lung Patients (LHL), Oslo, Norway
Dr. Nafsiah Mboi, National AIDS Commission, Jakarta, Indonesia
Omar N Mohamed, TB Program, Fulton County Health and Wellness Department, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Guillermo Murillo, Agua Buena Human Rights Association, San Jose, Costa Rica
Jean-Julien Meye Me Nguema, Association SIDA Zero, Libreville, Estuaire, Gabon
Alick Nyirenda, Copperbelt Health Education Project, Kitwe, Zambia
Amos Nota, Zambart Project⁄Homecare Services, Lusaka, Zambia
Therese Kabale Omari, Fondation Femme Plus, Ngiri Ngiri, Kinshasa, Republique Democratique du Congo, Sunil Babu Pant, Blue Diamond Society, Kathmandu, Nepal
Eduard Mihai Paris, ARAS – Romanian Association Against AIDS, Bucharest, Romania
Manoj Pardesi, Asia Pacific PLWHA Resource Center (APPRC), New Dehli, India
Federico Parodi, Red de Personas Viviendo con vih/sida, Mar del Plata Argentina
Jessica F. Pereyra, Aprendiendo a Vivir con el VIH/SIDA, San Luis, Argentina
Irina Piilberg, NGO Convictus Eesti, Tallinn, Estonia
La Red de Jóvenes, Río Negro, Patagonia, Argentina
Oswaldo Rada, RedLa+ Latin American Network of PLWHA, Argentina
Juan Carlos Rejas Rivero, REDLA⁄REDBOL (National Network of PLWHA), La Paz, Bolivia
René Roa-Flores, Grupo deSida por la Vida, Bariloche, Argentina
Kirsten Røhme, Norwegian Association of Heart and Lung Patients (LHL), Oslo, Norway
Francisco Rosas, Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl., Mexico
Marita Sanchez, Catedra de Solciologia de Salud, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Arumugam Sankar, Empower, Tuticorin, Tamilnadu, India
Satyajit Sarkar, Dehli, India
Eugene Schiff, Agua Buena Human Rights Association, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Nina Schwalbe, New York, USA
Sergio Sensini, Juntos por la vida, Rosario, Argentina
Subin Shrestha, Blue Diamond Society, Baluwataar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Angel Pepey Silva, la Red de Personas viviendo con vih y sida de La Matanza, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Dr. Amara Soonthorndhada, Institute for Population & Social Research (OSI), Mahidol University, Salaya Phutamontol Nakornpathom, Thailand
State of Rio de Janeiro Forum of TB NGOs, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Richard Stern, Agua Buena Human Rights Association, San Jose, Costa Rica
Lucia Maria Stirbu, National Union of the PLWHAs Organization (UNOPA), Bucharest, Romania
Rizky Ika Syafitri, Asian Harm Reduction Network (AHRN), Jakarta, Indonesia
Ezio Távora dos Santos Filho, Grupo Pela Vidda/RJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Martha Tholanah, Programme Manager for Health, Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ), Harare, Zimbabwe
Paul Thorn, Patient Representative, London, UK
Ted Torfoss, LHL⁄Stop TB Partnership Secretariat, Geneva, Switzerland
Mohamed Alassane Touré, Kénédougou Solidarité, Sikasso, Mali
Emmanuel Trénado, International Programs Director, AIDES, Paris, France
Pervaiz Tufail, AMAL Human Rights Development Network, Islamabad, Pakistan
Liudmila Afanasievna Untura, "Credinta" Assn PLHWA of Republic Moldova, Kishinev, Republic of Moldova
Rian van de Braak, AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW), Moscow, Russian Federation
Vjatseslav "Slava" Vassiljev, ESPO Society (PLWHA in Estonia), Tallinn, Estonia
Cati Vawda, Children's Rights Centre, Durban, South Africa
Ronny Waikhom, CARE Foundation, Imphal, Manipur, India
Mitchell Warren, AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC), New York, USA
Jorge Eduardo Wierna, Red de Voluntarios Juejños Enfrentando al VIH/SIDA, San Salvador de Jujay, Argentina

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